Despite the identification of numerous protein factors as pivotal agents in plant thermoregulation, the intricacies of their spatiotemporal modulation remain enigmatic. Furthermore, the intercellular, intertissue, and interorgan communication and coordination mechanisms in response to thermal variances are predominantly uncharted territories. Our research endeavors to elucidate these complex mechanisms through a bifurcated strategy: firstly, by perturbing specific components to assess systemic effects, and secondly, by modulating the system as a whole to understand the impacts on discrete elements.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, #2200200 (2022-2024)
Miniature heater-assisted thermosensory study (Miheats)
A compelling inquiry within the realm of plant-environment interactions concerns the potential for localized signal detection to initiate systemic signal transduction to distant organs, tissues, and cells, thereby activating a systemic acquired response. Within the context of thermal biology, we are intrigued by the hypothesis that plants may be capable of disseminating environmental temperature information system-wide, even when thermal fluctuations are experienced by a solitary organ.
In collaboration with Dr. Yiwei Han’s team from UM Mechanical Engineering, we are designing and fabricating diminutive heating devices tailored for localized thermal treatment of individual plant segments. This approach enables the application of Omics technologies to dissect physiological, molecular, and cellular transformations occurring in both the treated locales and distal tissues of plants subjected to thermal stimuli.
Publications:
Jiang Q, Bajracharya A, Qiu Y, Han Y (2023) Direct writing of microheater for studying plant thermal biology. Manuf Lett 35: 725-731 PDF
Transcriptomic heterogeneity in plant thermal responses
The rapid advancement in single-cell and gene-editing technologies facilitates a nuanced analysis of thermo-induced transcriptomic alterations across diverse cell types within a singular organ. Leveraging scRNA-seq alongside CRISPR-based, cell-type-specific gene knockout techniques, we aim to dissect the spatiotemporal regulation of pivotal nodal thermosensory genes.
Qiu Laboratory at Ole Miss 